Ikat Chapan from Uzbekistan

280,00€

The Chapan or also called Khalat or Don was worn in central Asia by both women and men. The coats were perfect for the region with its hot summers and extremely cold winters. This Chapan’s inner lining is made out of cotton to protect against the cold.Ikat is a resist-dye weaving process where unwoven threads are tied off and dyed. Before threading the loom, the yarn is separated into long strands and subjected to a process similar to batik: individual or small bundles of unwoven threads are bound tightly in certain places, to prevent dye from adhering to those areas, and then dyed. In Uzbekistan ikat fabrics are called abr, an originally Persian term meaning cloud.

The purple edging was directly woven into into the piece, a process that is called „loop manipulation“. In any case the edging will protect its wearer against evil spirits. It is customery to give away Chalate as a token of respect. This piece was intended for every day use.